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2,350-acre reservoir near Deersville. The lake tops out around 28 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The outline encloses 2,327 acres, worked by 31 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 4.6) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 68% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 6.6 mi with a 2.6-mi widest point. Harrison County claims this one. Clendening Lake sits 6 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 28 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring crappie on Tappan Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 28 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 27 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring bluegill on Tappan Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Marina / dock area (11 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 28 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 27 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | |
| Fall | 8 to 28 ft | dusk | Deep basin (27 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | midday | Deep basin (27 ft) |
Spring puts saugeye in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 22 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 28 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 18 ft, rated prime for fall saugeye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness (shallow) or a jig + crawler covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + twister tail, Blade bait |
| Summer | 8 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (7 ft) | Crawler harness (shallow), Jig + crawler |
| Fall | 8 to 28 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging rap |
| Winter | 8 to 28 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (27 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Blade bait |
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 27 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Ohio DNR — Boater & Stream Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ohio waters are set by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Tappan Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ohio fishing regulations →
Tappan Lake is about 28 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, saugeye on Tappan Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Tappan Lake is regulated by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife. Check the official Ohio regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Clendening Lake 6 mi · Leesville Lake 10 mi · Piedmont Lake 14 mi · Atwood Lake 14 mi · Jefferson Lake 21 mi · Belmont Lake 22 mi · Salt Fork Lake 23 mi · Barnesville #4 Lake 24 mi · Ohio River - Pike Island Pool 28 mi, OH/WV · Slope Creek Reservoir (Barnesville #3) 30 mi · Highlandtown Lake 30 mi · Seneca Lake 32 mi
See how Tappan Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ohio · best saugeye lakes in Ohio · best crappie lakes in Ohio · best bluegill lakes in Ohio
Browse all Ohio fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.